Former Australian fast bowler John Hastings has revealed that officials from the anti-corruption unit contacted him after he bowled an unusual 18-ball over during a Legends League match against Pakistan Champions.

 

Last month, Hastings bowled the extended over in which he delivered two consecutive sets of five wides. In total, the over went for 20 runs.

 

Speaking in a recent interview, Hastings said, "After bowling that 18-ball over, officials from the anti-corruption unit approached me. Some people from the unit came to me and said, ‘Yesterday you put us in a big problem, we have to look into this matter.’"

 

Hastings recalled his response to the officials. "I said, ‘Do you think I was involved in match-fixing or something like that?’ They said, ‘No, but we do not know where you have been and what you have been doing for the last seven years.’ I told them I am not corrupt, but explaining that match against Pakistan is difficult."

 

The former pacer admitted the incident brought a flood of attention. "I received countless messages from cricket-related people. Around 1.5 million people sent me messages on social media. I kept my social media accounts closed for three days. I did not know what to do. It was embarrassing and it was painful," he stated. 

 

Hastings also shared that he held his official retirement party after the match against Pakistan Champions.

 

The 38-year-old has been playing in retired players’ leagues since 2022. In that Legends League match, Pakistan Champions defeated Australia Champions by 10 wickets.